Board 8 > Haste2 ranks all 180 VGMC Retirees.

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Haste_2
08/22/20 12:05:35 AM
#351:


85) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - Staff Credits
Series ranking: 2 of 4
https://youtu.be/N8nCEDyGHKk?t=99
Composer: Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi, or Koji Kondo
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 3 (Lost R4), VGMC 6 (Lost R3), VGMC 7 (Lost R5 to Oil & Sweat)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/N8nCEDyGHKk?t=204, maybe?

Irish jig! If that was all there was to it, Id get bored pretty quickly, but a lot of neat stuff gets added! Really, you could say this ending theme is about everything else. Still, I like the guitar (lute?) chords (4ths-based) ostinato I honestly never get tired of it. It evidently lends itself well to variations in harmony. It gradually adds one little idea at a time, until the next thing you know, its playing various themes. But yeah, I like the fact that the developing stuff is in the background, as opposed to the forefront. Until 1:54, at least. Then it starts displaying various themes from the game all I can say is between the dance feel and the sustained low strings, the presentation of those three themes work very nicely. Its been too long since Ive played this game, so the only theme that I know where it plays in the game is the sailing theme. The composer had lots of fun with the string synth harmonies, for sure. Notable is that there are two keys going on at once here! (both are represented by the guitar chord) Interesting how the sailing theme relies on those two notes the guitar doesclever. I'm loving the oboe/bassoon/violin trio interaction at 3:24! Yummy thick low chords shortly following lots of use of the 4th in them, which works because that chord omits the 3rd (3rd+4th at the same time creates a major CLASH). Okay, Im probably boring you now. Once we get to the ending, when everything drops out and you have Zelda's lullaby going...oh, MAN, the feelings. Nostalgia! Zeldas lullaby is my favorite music from Link to the Past, by the way. https://youtu.be/2j68QmOjUpE

84) NieR - Song of the Ancients ~ Fate
Series rank: 3 of 5
https://youtu.be/ady--PNMsfI
Composer: ??? ( produced by Kelichi Okabe)
Vocalist: Emi Evans
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R5 to The Extreme)
Favorite Part: All the vocal stuff!

The standard Nier drums always set a dramatic mood! Who could possibly dislike them? The little chimes interspersed among them are so lovely, though! Lovely duet going, too. The singing is calm, but also intense (if that makes any sense hey, that rhymed!). The secondary dominants like at 1:36 are nice, and I love those call-and-responses such as at 0:30-0:32. Good string writing, especially with what they do between phrases (most especially at places like 1:26 very energized!). Strings taking over makes a nice intermediate section. At 2:46 the guitars and piano provide a fine texture there!


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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xp1337
08/22/20 12:07:33 AM
#352:


o ya go my SotA ~ Fate

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xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out?
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azuarc
08/22/20 2:34:10 AM
#353:


83) Shatter - Neon Mines

=p

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Haste_2
08/25/20 10:57:09 PM
#354:


83) Subarashiki Hibi - Yoru no Himawari
https://youtu.be/bZWd_7Ud-Lc
Composer: szak (Fuminori Matsumoto)
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent) - revised down to 7.8
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R4), VGMC 6 (Lost R5 to Godsibb)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/bZWd_7Ud-Lc?t=84

This is the one retiree where I cant seem to remember the name of the game nor the name of the track! Oh, well. Also, I accidentally ranked this one too high it had a high preliminary rating which caused me to continue the rating process a bit too late. Anyway, its a nice piano solo piece. Nice flourishing piano effects at the start and ambiguous tonality. Im liking the 4th-interval-featuring chords in the intro. Pedals! The strings there add more than just texture and atmosphere they add legitimately interesting notes to the mix! The main theme comes in at 0:24, and the melody couldnt POSSIBLY get any simpler. Its 100% diatonic here. And yet it comes across as beautiful. Its not super emotional, though. Nice arpeggiations in the bass add a graceful fullness of sound. The second part of the theme at 0:47 gives me a Chrono Trigger To Far Away Times vibe, and the bass movements are continuous now. Mild, bell-like percussion gets added later ahhhhhh! I cant enough of those. I like the subtle thing done at the end of the phrase the added 9th at 1:22 is very sweet. 1:24 we get some added complexity! The melodic stays diatonic, but the harmonies gets really active here. Nice feelings evoked. I love the varied intervals between the two parts of the top piano line here, too. My favorite chord is probably the one at 1:43.

82) VVVVVV - "Positive Force"
Series rank: 2 of 4
https://youtu.be/Tp3qiOKuEBM
Composer: Magnus "SoulEye" Plsson
Score: 8.3/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 4 (Lost R3), VGMC 5 (Lost R6 to The Sun Rises)
Favorite Part: the key change at 0:53

(I'm starting to think I like Piercing the Sky more than Positive Force now.) The composer knows the right kind of chiptune sounds to use! What is there to talk about. The music, like other V6 tracks, defies the typical format of coming up with a melody and then making accompaniment for it. It feels like the accompaniment is unified with and binded to the melody. There are even sections where there really isnt much of a melody, such as at 1:49. Sometimes the melody takes the backseat, then it comes to the forefront later. The beginning is cool because there are (kind of) two melodies going on in the background before the melody comes to the forefront at 0:13. It keeps building and then it has an AWESOME key change at 0:54. I love the change of feel at 1:08 - I really love the new material there. It dies down before the main idea comes back to entertain us one more time. I enjoy the last little bit of melody at the very end the trill in particular. All in all, a very rewarding piece of music to listen to


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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Haste_2
08/25/20 11:52:03 PM
#355:


81) Final Fantasy X - To Zanarkand
Series rank: 6 of 7
https://youtu.be/h-0G_FI61a8
Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 1 (Lost R5 to Dream of a Shore Bordering Another World)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/h-0G_FI61a8?t=8

Finally (no pun intended), our first main series FF rep falls! Ahhhh what a dark piano sound! It really helps set the mood.. kind of a feeling of barrenness and longing. Great top line at 0:08-0:25! The feelings that the music activatesvery nice. Its a cool way to explore harmonically until we get back to the tonic at 0:25. The music then gets, regretfully, relatively generic for a bit (a nice minor 2nd rub in there), until 0:49 when the previous melody from the beginning re-emerges beautiful! At 1:15 we get a new beautiful melody with more harmonic stuff I like. Im liking the last chord, how it turns to major at the very last moment, as if the music is trying to say there is still one glimmer of hope! I feel a bit let down by the stereotypical FF-Prelude-ish bottom line movement (nothing against the FF Prelude itself) thats used all the time in B-grade new age piano music, but at least its not fatal. But, oh, MAN I LOVE HOW DARK THAT PIANO IS. (it probably gains almost a full point just because of that)

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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Leonhart4
08/26/20 12:06:45 AM
#356:


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azuarc
08/26/20 12:10:52 PM
#357:


Do the VGMC14 songs get a number, or are they just going to mentioned in the middle?

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Haste_2
08/26/20 8:55:25 PM
#358:


Yes, they will get a number. I've changed the rankings to reflect the inclusion of VGMC 14. To Zanarkand is now #97.

Anyway, stats time! These exclude To Zanarkand and Postive Force. First, let's check out how each VGMC is doing.

VGMC 6 - 1 of 16 remaining
VGMC 3 - 5 of 16
VGMC 4 - 5 of 16
VGMC 7 - 6 of 16
VGMC 8 - 6 of 16
VGMC 2 - 8 of 16
VGMC 11 - 4 of 8
VGMC 12 - 4 of 8
VGMC 5 - 9 of 16
VGMC 9 - 9 of 16
VGMC 10 - 5 of 8
VGMC 1 - 8 of 12
VGMC 13 - 12 of 16
VGMC 14 - 16 of 16

The one VGMC 6 entrant remaining is.... Seymour Battle.

Now let's see how the different series are faring.

Undefeated
13 Sentinels - 2 of 2 alive
Fire Emblem - 2 of 2
Okami - 2 of 2
Phantasy Star - 2 of 2

> 50% Remaining
Final Fantasy - 6 of 7 (To Zanarkand's fall makes it 5/7)
Exa Pico (i.e. Ar) - 5 of 6
bemani - 5 of 6
Atelier - 4 of 5
Mario - 3 of 4
Terraria - 2 of 3
Wild ARMs - 2 of 3

Everything Else Alive
Baldr - 1 of 3
Bravely Default - 1 of 2
Chrono - 2 of 4
DKC - 2 of 5
Drakengard (Nier) - 2 of 5
Granado - 1 of 2
Kirby - 1 of 3
Legend of Heroes - 1 of 2
Lufia - 1 of 2
MGS - 1 of 2
Naku Koro Ni (Umineko) - 3 of 15
Persona - 1 of 4
Smash - 1 of 4
Sonic - 1 of 3
Undertale - 1 of 3
VVVVVV - 2 of 4 (Positive Force gone makes it 1 of 4)
Xeno - 3 of 6
Ys - 1 of 4
Zelda - 1 of 4

About 45 of the retirees so far made it to R5 on their first try.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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Hbthebattle
08/26/20 10:01:48 PM
#359:


There are 3 Legend of Heroes/Trails retirees
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Haste_2
08/27/20 12:14:51 AM
#360:


Yes, of course. My mistake for forgetting about Seize the Truth. I know the Japanese name of the series, though I (apparently) didn't learn about it until after starting this topic.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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Haste_2
08/29/20 6:51:24 PM
#361:


96) Digital: A Love Story - Paper Dolls
https://youtu.be/V60rMJQ1MA8
Composer: Harrison Lemke and/or 4mat
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 6 (Lost R4), VGMC 7 (Lost R5 to Shop Music)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/V60rMJQ1MA8?t=114

What a terrific beginning. I love the softness of the beginning synths, and the way they reverberate for five or six beats. The creates an effect of harmonies, when they are technically just outlines of those harmonies; even better is that many of these are 2nds and 7ths and stuff! Anyway, it takes some skill to make such an active melody like this work in such a setting! Then a similar bass that does cool counterpoint stuff using somewhat odd rhythms rounds it nicely. Then at 0:33 you get a synth that is pretty much the exact OPPOSITE of before. Its a bit harsh for my tastes, but I gotta admit it has great energy to it! The way the synth is divided into two parts (high and low, more than an octave between) is pretty sweet! Then the first melody gets put on top why did I not see it coming? 1:14 finally it moves forward music, with a nice contrasting slow melody on top of the rest of the craziness. Cool countermelodies in the sectioning following. 1:27 we now have a trio going on. 1:55 is neat with the stuff put on top of the 0:33 idea I like the more bleepy sounds here. But man, the high note stuff. It always stay on the same pitch class, but the way they slide up is epic, especially at 2:08 when it goes up to a SCREAMING high D and then back down slowly, but with intensity. WOW. And some more neat effects right after, too. One last little effect they do is allowing the music to fade out while the synth patterns keep going, which in turn fades out a little later, and then its like you hear the ocean at the end, which seems like an odd thing to do, but in practice it's very nice!

95) Demon Truck - Dead Neon Hell City
https://youtu.be/aptaoGaE13k
Composer: Andrew Aversa (zircon)
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 13 (Lost R5 to CLASS: EXPHERE_NOSURGE)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/aptaoGaE13k?t=47

Wait, zircon composed this? Wow. Normally I dont like his loud stuff. This beat Dark Man Stage and Sky of Twilight :[. But I still love this! The reason this got such a high rating is less about the composition and more about the sound production. The main appeal for the start of this track is the super fun use of the bass. I just LOVE how metallic and grindy that bass is. MMMMMMMMM. Just in the first few seconds, man. The wave effect followed by staccato 16th notes is way cool! Also we got Phrygian going on, which is usually a good thing. 0:47 brings us awesome panning. 0:55 brings us Seiken Densetsu 3 snares! Yeah, I just LOVE this section so much because of that grindiness!!!! The way everything drops down except for the triangle at 1:36 before moving to the concluding section is cool! 1:38 has those fun percussive arpeggios! 1:53 brings in a FUN embellished countermelody Way for the loop to end with a BANG! Overall, it's nothing brilliant in terms of raw harmonies/melodies, but when you electronically orchestrate like this you dont need that as often. Also notable is that the music hardly qualifies as repetitive... its constantly throwing something new and fun at you. Amazingly, no annoyingly loud beats that I dislike, either. It took some time for this to grow on me to think I voted Galaxy of Friendship over this at one point.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
NFUN
08/29/20 6:51:56 PM
#362:


yeahhhhhh... DEMON TRUCK

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Haste_2
08/29/20 7:24:10 PM
#363:


94) Wild ARMs 5 - At the Frozen Depths of the Heart
Series rank: 2 of 3
https://youtu.be/ipCa-V-eVhU
Composer: Noriyasu Agematsu
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R5 to Beware the Forest's Mushrooms)
Favorite Part: 0:00 - 2:34

Nice combination of various bell-like instruments. Nice semi-tonal cluster chords. Even the piano has some of the bell-like quality, the way it reverberates like water crystals, plus it provides some GREAT 4/4 ideas on top of the meter. Also, the piano descent at 0:57!! Sounds a bit like Ravel. Moving on, this track is so mystical and magical. The added primitive solo voice only makes it feel even more that way. There are some interesting tonal choices at 2:24 before the forte section begins. It turns into more of an epic theme carried by the piano and violins! Some of the mystique is still there, though, so thats good! Sounds a little bit Scherzo-like at 4:38? As a whole I guess theres not much else amazing that I must specifically mention, but overall its very good. Well, the piano reverb stuff is still going on consistently, so thats a big positive!! I really like when it gets soft again at 3:36...nice choirs there, and likewise, when the solo girl voice comes back near the loops end, in kind of a dissonant way.

93) Final Fantasy X - Seymour Battle
Series rank: 5 of 7
ELIMINATED: VGMC 6
https://youtu.be/dWE0nlhpdq8
Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R1), VGMC 3 (Lost R2), VGMC 4 (Lost R1), VGMC 6 (Lost R5 to Dorchadas)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/dWE0nlhpdq8?t=142

Aw yeah, cool electro synth flourishes at the start, and throughout! Its got some fun interactions between like three synths. Then when you hear the choir come in to introduce the theme, you know that things are getting serious, and the cluster chords are great! Love that wild man organ playing! Then finally, the epicness is dialed up some more at 1:15! Its truly among the Uematsu classic melodies. Wish this part had more support in the background, but at least you got the cool electro rhythmic octave patterns in there. The synth duet continues the theme at 1:43, but what I really like about it is the cool harmonic switch-up at about 2:01 ! Good way to move things forward! Shortly after at 2:22, we got some SWEET organ rhythmic stuff 2/4+(3/8+3/8+2/4+2/4), with the parenthesis part repeating. And then it gets put under a melody in 4/4! YEESSSS!!! Overall, I think its one of the better boss themes in the Final Fantasy series.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haste_2
09/05/20 11:33:29 PM
#364:


92) The Seventh Seal: The Resurrection of the Dark Lord - Rhythm of Red
https://youtu.be/l1gfbWYuUmc
Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R6 to MM3 Title)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/l1gfbWYuUmc?t=50

Ive heard some trained musician/vgm fan say that the Seventh Seven was the worst of Mitsudas soundtracks. REALLY? The only two Ive heard from the game are super awesome! Anyway, More Spanish-style guitar, here we go again! Except I like it much more here! Huh.. This isnt too far off his Chrono Cross sound, based on certain note choices (same composer, go figure). The Haaas letting off steam gives this such a relaxed feel. The castanets, psssts, and strikes of the guitar/piano blend in perfectly. The modulation at 0:22 keeps the music sounding fresh. The first section is certainly nice, but it REALLY speaks to me when the orchestra comes in at 0:50 and hey, another modulation! Absolutely GORGEOUS the way it moves into major, the new feel and the increased orchestration! Another modulation at 1:18! I especially LOVE that harmony at 1:30, both the piano and guitar working together. Overall, very classical sounding.

91) VVVVVV - Potential for Anything
Series rank: 1 of 1
ELIMINATED: VVVVVV
https://youtu.be/Uj8MsbgpjaQ
Composer: Magnus "SoulEye" Plsson
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R2), VGMC 7 (Lost R7 to the executioner)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/Uj8MsbgpjaQ?t=122

I initially didnt like it much, but my opinion of it has grown a lot over time! Now well, its my favorite from the game sometimes? This ones my favorite stylistically, but others from the game I like more harmonically. The main attraction of this one is all those sixteenth patterns all over the place! They fit in so seamlessly. Arpeggios, rhythmic patterns, and stepwise descents where each note repeats once. They provide a sweet feeling a lot of the time, but a cool feeling, as well. Honestly I just enjoy how they are loud to the point that they <i>almost</i> cover up the melody, but not quite! Well, some of the time they ARE the melody, actually (see 2:02) I also enjoy the mellowness of the more proper melody, too, as if its yielding to the more important material, but its still there to provide a framework for the whole thing. Ill just add that I love the way it ends, how most everything is getting softer, but the melody still stays at the same volume! It creates an interesting feeling of finality.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
azuarc
09/06/20 10:17:04 AM
#365:


rip V6

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Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour
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Arti
09/07/20 6:04:43 PM
#366:


V6 out way too early

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azuarc may not know the strength of songs in VGMC, but he conquered the guru in Game of the Decade 2! Congrats!
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xp1337
09/07/20 6:05:41 PM
#367:


should have had a v8

doh ho ho ho ho

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xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out?
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azuarc
09/07/20 10:15:38 PM
#368:


Guess we'll have to retire more then. Predestined Fate for VGMC15.

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Arti
09/07/20 10:25:46 PM
#369:


I mean, we could have had Pressure Cooker this year, but...

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azuarc may not know the strength of songs in VGMC, but he conquered the guru in Game of the Decade 2! Congrats!
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Hbthebattle
09/07/20 10:53:47 PM
#370:


Arti posted...
I mean, we could have had Pressure Cooker this year, but...

Year of Pokemon takes no prisoners.

Ignore the 8 songs failed to retire. And Isoleucine.
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Haste_2
09/12/20 10:50:09 PM
#371:


90) Silent Hill 2 - Theme Of Laura
https://youtu.be/6LB7LZZGpkw
Composer: Akira Yamaoka
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 4 (Lost R4), VGMC 5 (Lost R3), VGMC 7 (Lost R3), VGMC 8 (Lost R5 to The Last Duel)
Favorite Part: 0:59 - 1:37

I havent played much Silent Hill, but I really do intend on beating them! Someday. I even own the first two games. This is Lauras theme, but it sounds like more than a mere character theme. I wonder if this is an ending theme or a game over theme, as well? The style is awesome, even though I cant specifically identify the kind of rock this is Ive heard music like this in the Bourne series. Dark, a little twangy, not happy, with a feeling of unresolved or failed finality, among other feelings I cant think of. This track is also oozing with emotion, in a way similar to Price of Freedom. We got the acoustic guitar, but then we have some other guitars that sound like a gray area between acoustic and electric. Good stuff! Electric violin naturally fits in here,too. The main catchy refrain at 0:40 is catchy! (nice 9th chords and tasteful chromatic movement) 1:00-1:37 is one of the cooler sections because even though there is some main melody, we have all sorts of layers getting involved with melodic pieces. Nicely balanced tapered final chord! <3

89) Okami - Reset ~ Thank You Version
Series rank: 2 of 2
https://youtu.be/IRx9gnY0Mp0
Composer: Hiroshi Yamaguchi
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R2), VGMC 3 (CHAMPION)
Favorite Part: 0:17 - 0:48

Hmmm. very lovely. Nice echoey acoustics for the intro flute call. I like the Okami flutes for their slightly metallic quality (but they dont ACTUALLY sound metallic). Right after its got some of those eerie sounds from a kind of Japanese instrument Ive heard them in Ace Attorney case 3-5, actually. A double-reed of some kind? If anyone can identify it for me, that would be awesome. I love the way they zone in and out. Interesting note choices, too... I never heard them very well until I listened with headphones! They're kind of dissonant in an "overtone" sort of way. Theres not a lot to this, but its very pretty. You got some good countermelodies that keep this from going stale. But yeah, it's very heavy on the traditional Japanese style., and in in a way that I love, and its not like I like all authentic-sounding Japanese music. Really, who needs European instruments when you can make equally beautiful orchestrations just with those from Japan? I cant formally name any of these instruments, but oh well perhaps one of the plucked instruments is a Shamisen! (okay, it uses European strings and brass, fine, but theyre not the focus) Aw, yeah, low brass starting at 2:22 I love low brass in this game. And they only get more involved when it gets more epic around minute three. 2:42 the Shamisen-like instrument has a nice lick. 3:42 - An extra measure gets added at the end of the phrase for the long harp glissando tries to graceful, but it comes across as kind of cheesy. 4:39 - its a stylish way to refer to the opening lick just before the the end I especially like the note choices from the harp.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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FFDragon
09/12/20 10:51:35 PM
#372:


resuck NO thank you

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xp1337
09/12/20 10:56:22 PM
#373:


*insert rant about how it should have been the not-thank you version of reset*

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xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out?
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Leonhart4
09/12/20 11:17:30 PM
#374:


Reset worst winner

Well it's possible something has dethroned it since then

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NFUN
09/12/20 11:19:11 PM
#375:


Leonhart4 posted...
Reset worst winner

Well it's possible something has dethroned it since then
nope

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xp1337
09/12/20 11:31:54 PM
#376:


Leonhart4 posted...
Reset worst winner

Well it's possible something has dethroned it since then
I have a feeling you'll hate EXSPHERE but that opinion should be a bannable offense. >_>

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xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out?
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Janus5k
09/12/20 11:39:15 PM
#377:


exsphere should've been a bannable offense tbqh

ok I kinda like it now but uh yeah it's very non-Leonhart

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Haste_2
09/13/20 12:08:08 AM
#378:


Reset the worst winner, huh? I ranked it 10th out of 14.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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PIayer_0
09/13/20 2:14:50 AM
#379:


reset top 3 champ

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azuarc
09/13/20 10:22:41 AM
#380:


Leonhart4 posted...
Reset worst winner

Well it's possible something has dethroned it since then

I'm going to assume you'd prefer Emil/Karma to Reset, so probably not. You're welcome to check them all out for yourself, though.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RElFQnUIoUjxk4_bi-uLbVQ

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Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour
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Leonhart4
09/13/20 10:26:26 AM
#381:


Emil/Karma is a great song as opposed to a bad song, so yes, it's better.

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NFUN
09/13/20 11:06:09 AM
#382:


Emil/Karma is the worst winner but not the worst song to have won

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You shine, and make others shine just by being near them.
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Haste_2
09/16/20 10:45:56 PM
#383:


In other words, Reset ~ Thank You is a loser no matter what.

88) maimai MiLK - Credits
https://youtu.be/5Z6gGfplhpk
Rating: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
Composer: Hiroshi Kawaguchi
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (Lost R2 to Dungeon - Geofront 4, then Lost R5 as a wildcard to, er, Dungeon - Geofront 4)
Favorite part: https://youtu.be/5Z6gGfplhpk?t=188

Can you fill a bottle up with Maimai MiLK for Link? I dunno, but even my least favorite R5+ track from VGMC XIV is still pretty good! It also happened to be the only wildcard to retire, even though it had possibly the easiest path to retirement of the sixteen retirees. Fun fact: I was going to vote Akeldama over Credits in round 4 because I like it more, but I ended up abstaining because I thought Credits was far more deserving of retiring. The match was close, so I didnt want to risk it. Now to talk about the actual music. How interesting it is. This might be the most hip-hop of any music on the list. It starts with some radio weather announcing on top of some buttery, somber electronic piano chords. Then it becomes more like hipoff with that beat coming in, okay, whatever. Then at 0:38 comes some mechanical stuff thats hard to describe. It sounds like. a conveyor belt or tape recorder or SOMETHING thats spinning really fast. Then it becomes the central ostinato of the whole track, how very interesting. But its cool! So very hippy and catchy. But they have actual pitches to them, too, also cool, and actually thats VERY important, imo. More radio announcing, but it goes WILD and twisted and warped. Funding for this program is made possible dah-you dah-you! 1:42 gets super rhythmic and off-beat focused honestly this part is pretty groovy! Piano comes back but its not the buttery chords like before :[, even though actually they do come back a bit later! 3:08 the ostinato comes back, but this time the piano gets mixed in, yummmm! False ending at 3:50, but then the music says hey the coolness is not over yet. It starts fragmenting the rap announcing, an artsy way to end it. I LOVE how the way the fast spinning things shuts off at the end, its my favorite thing of all! And then theres, uh, another drum hit? (Lets pretend that doesnt exist because if that was intended to be there, it RUINS the end) Overall, its really cool and artsy and original, but its not exactly my cup of tea, or at least, it didnt used to be. Its grown on me a lot. However, the more I listen to it the more I like it. Still, it makes me mad it had to beat Ar-ciel-ar-manaf, one of my favorite Exa Pico songs. :[

87) Ys: Memories of Celceta - False God of Causality
Series rank: 1 of 4
ELIMINATED: Ys
https://youtu.be/L4cC7CyaIm4
Composer: Yukihiro Jindo
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 8 (Lost R5 to White Devil)
Favorite Part: Dat intro!

Holy WOW, that intro. Its the best intro for a battle theme Ive ever heard! (oh, wait, actually no, but its up there for sure) WHAT KILLER-intense (literally? ) dissonant chords, and I love the pauses between them. Then you got these foreboding trumpet fanfares from way out in the distance (perfect fifth intervals), WOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW! Chimes on top of that, too! Talk about a premonition! This intros the hellish darkness of evil itself! Okay, time to continue. Yummy brass writing ( 0:18) leading into the main music. Im liking the horns tearing it up in the first main section..intense. (horns playing the tritone on the bII low brass chord at 0:24 sticks out to me) Got some spooky ascents after. Then the electric guitar gets added...yeah, it might be stereotypical for Ys music to set practically EVERYTHING to metal - for example, at 0:58- but I like the harsh electric guitar sounds juxtaposed against the rather mellow orchestral/choral sound here! Compositionally its not top tier here, through. At 1:50 you get more of the stuff like at the intro! (except not quite as intense, but I like the tapping) After that, you got a pretty nice concluding section that does its job chorus and trumpet (interesting surprise high note at 2:49), yay. At 2:58 the chorus isnt quite done, so they decide to really hammer an intense finale on you, and hey, some of those cool string chords (F, Ab, C, Eb,G, key of C). yeah. All in all, a very Ys-sounding battle theme. Overall, Im a little disappointed with the Ys retirees, though.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haste_2
09/16/20 11:32:25 PM
#384:


Toxtricity will not outspeed me.

86) Cloudbuilt: Defiance - Monolith
https://youtu.be/kgBy_m3nRbs
Composer: Jacob Sebastian Soyer Lincke
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 11 (Lost R5 to Emil Karma)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/kgBy_m3nRbs?t=185

I like to think of this music as a kind of theme and variations. The theme is not so much a melody as it is a harmonic progression granted, its not the same exact set of harmonies all the time, but its always somewhere along the lines. Generally speaking it follows (A minor 2 counts , F major 2 counts, G major 1.5 counts, D major 2.5 counts), but its sometimes more like (A minor for 4 counts, F major 1.5 counts, D major 2.5 counts). Thats a good progression to me, since I tend to love most any time Dorian gets mixed in with natural minor. Um, kind of futuristic and industrial-sounding, and also a bit like MGS in terms of fake percussion. Almost every instrument gets a chance at melody at some point. To talk about specifics I like..at 0:26 I really dig the plucked strings in this section!! 0:56 has great marimba use, please other cool details. The variation at 0:56 is cool, in particular the marimba combined with the harp! My favorite variation is probably at 3:05 with the synth/BAGPIPE! pentatonic melody very catchy. I wish that was developed more. 2:26 has more marimba!!! (even if its a bit soft) 4:16 also sticks out to be with the muted guitar (melody and chords), chimes, and other stuff! At about the five minute mark the composer decides to change up things so we can reach a climax, so YAY, new harmonies are now used for a bit. Then it kind of winds down after that.

85) Mamorukun Curse! - YO-KAI Disco (Hell's Entrance World)
https://youtu.be/K-PZixk0UgQ
Rating: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
Composer: Yousuke Yasui
VGMC History: VGMC 6 (Lost R2), VGMC 7 (Lost R3), VGMC 8 (Lost R2), VGMC 9 (Lost R3), VGMC 11 (Lost R2), VGMC 14 (Lost R6 to Dungeon - Geofront 4)
Favorite part: 0:28 - 0:34, 0:41 - 0:53

Japanese disco! On the surface it seems kind of ordinary, but I really like this when put to the test. This thing grooves hard. In fact, its a banger! During the contest I inwardly knew I liked this more than I outwardly realized. I even voted for Solstice Title and Who Am I? over this, though I wouldn't anymore. Trying to think of what game(s) this reminds me of. I cant think of what it is, but it definitely sounds like something I know! It also has some appealing chords in here, for sure. I love the way theyre rhythmically laid out at the start, and I love those inverted nat-vi chords! Also, how the music goes up the octave at the end there at 0:09, YEEEAHHH!!! Drums really drive this thing. Also, the way it ends on the minor v chord is cool with a lot of emphasis on the flat 7th at 0:15 but especially how it adds those other synths as it glisses up to the note! Very stylish. Another similarly awesome chord at 0:21! Love how it goes into a surprise Dorian mode just a fraction of second before 0:31! And then it basically becomes a modulation to a new key. Yet another GREAT surprise chord at 0:52 kinda Dorian again. At 1:00 we hit the refrain, essentially, using some similar ideas playing around with that Dorian at certain spots, even though this is actually my least favorite part of it. More of those glisses at the ends of phrases here that are really cool, though! There are lots of soft things in the background that really add to the experience especiallythe whistling near the ends of some phrases. All in all, this track is a happy, energetic one and is a little bit cute, as well! It doesnt sound like the entrance to hell at all, what the hell!


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haste_2
09/19/20 5:11:20 PM
#385:


84) Aurora Memoria: Philosphical Data Session: 2093 - Classroom
https://youtu.be/8hcCTzUacA4
Rating: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
Composer: DV-i
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (Lost R5 to -(Isoleucine)-)
Favorite part: https://youtu.be/8hcCTzUacA4?t=80

I gotta admit, I wasnt too happy about the fact that it slid by both EXEC_PAJA/.#Orica extracting and Merciless Savior by one vote in its R3 and R4 matches. Not that I dislike this by any means. I guess something from the game deserved to do well after the game lost early in BOST. This ones kind of hard to talk about, for me, anyway. Its grown on me (otherwise it would have been like 7/10) The appeal of this track is less about the composition and more about style and sound production. It sounds like 80s electronic pop music, which has never really been my cup of tea normally, but theres a lot more to it than that, it seems. The opening crescendo is appealing. The rhythms going on are a bit deceitful at the start. Once the other stuff comes in then you know what the actual downbeat is. Each layer here is meaningful and makes the experience better. The sounds at 1:05 really resonates me with! They sound like a mix of a synth and mallet percussion, with a few different timbres used for it, too. 1:16 is a nice surprise key change. At 1:20 you get a lot of little call-and-responses going on here between at least three different layers here pretty fun, I think it's my favorite part! Some voices come in, okay, whatever. 2:18 is cool I love the relative silence (not that its actually silent, just relax) Likewise with the echoes as well as the background melodies here. Random fact about how a track sometimes grows on me: it starts off with one section that I really like, then it kind of expands from there. In this case, it was the stuff at 1:05.

83) Persona 5 - Last Surprise
Series ranking: 1 of 4
ELIMINATED: Persona
https://youtu.be/Ec4YbVP9R-A
Composer: Shoji Meguro
Score: 8.4/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 12 (Lost R5 to Sunshine Coastline)
Favorite Part: The intro

Theres a surprising amount of funk elements among the music on the list. and thats good, as its one of my preferred styles among American popular genres. The chorus is great I dig the harmonies, and the hyperactive/chromatic bass movement, especially! Also, I dig the moving 7ths between the vocals and the bass (such as when she says too fast for eyes). Music is very rhythmic/off-beat focused, making it very catchy. The best chords have to be at 0:16, aw, yeah! The bass is also very active throughout candy to my ears, and without that, the score would drop at least a full point. The vocalist (Lyn Inaizumi) is great, as usual in Persona vocal songs. Honestly, Im not sure if there is a singer I like more in vgm.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haste_2
09/19/20 5:44:45 PM
#386:


82) Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet- Dungeon - Geofront 4
https://youtu.be/tOsekzHN5m0
Rating: 8.5/10 (Excellent)
Composer: Kengo Tokusashi
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (Lost R7 to -(Isoleucine)-)
Favorite part: https://youtu.be/tOsekzHN5m0?t=68

Okay, I lied. There were only fifteen tracks rated an 8.4. MycroProcessors all-time favorite music at this time. This not only retired, but won Bracket D good for him! Sorry I dont like this as much as most of your other nominations (stylistically it's not really my thing), but Im still happy to see it do well! (my previous rating of this turned out to be inflated, probably because of hype) I guess Ill just attempt to talk about the polymeters since I dont have a whole lot else to say, probably. This has an awesome array of sounds that all complement each other really well. Strings have a good punch to them at the start. At 0:13 we already get our first dose of polymetrics 6/8 on top of 5/8, well even though the subdivision in this case is actually a quarter note triplet. At 0:27 we get varied meters for the melody (4+3+3+3+3+4+3+3+3+3), but the beat subdivision is standard. We got these B.T. Dutch- like drilling sounds after 0:41 that I didnt notice until I started this write-up. 1:08 is possibly (actually, most definitely) the most intriguing part of it the way the music kind of floats and slowly rotates around and around. Love it! We get 5/4 unison rhythm but with the triplet as the subdivision (once again), but the note layouts between the strings and the buzzy synth are different, creating an interesting voice leading of sorts. At 1:21 it gets even better--we get these playful insertions that I couldnt have ever figured out the rhythms for. Unless I slow them down! Thank you Youtube for that option. But anyway, the subdivision of those seems to be a third of that of the strings/buzzy synth. Meter seems to be divided into (3+3+3+3+3)+(3+3+3+3) or something. But gee whiz, does that mean those subdivisions are a ninth of half note? But hey, there are nine groups of three as shown earlier in the writeup so maybe I got it right! It sounds so weird at normal speed, though. Now theres the bass to work out, too. Actually, no. Im done trying to figure out these rhythms! Ive spent 45 minutes on this already! Oh, wow, I didnt realize the intro stuff came back in at 0:27! But okay, Im done guessing rhythms! Anyway, its a very fun piece of music!

81) NieR - Emil (Karma)
Series rank: 2 of 5
https://youtu.be/9izExqTCFQg
Composer: Keiichi Okabe
Score: 8.5/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC V (Lost R4), VGMC VI (Lost R3), VGMC IX (Lost R3), VGMC XI (Champion)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/9izExqTCFQg?t=62

More of the standard NieR (tribal) drums! No complaints there. What can I talk about here? Nothing wrong with the instrumentation...nothing wrong with the singer. Nothing overly dramatic or surprising happening in it, but it overall sounds nice, like a good action fantasy movie soundtrack! This one isnt quite as suspenseful as some of the other music in the series, but I prefer this one in terms of overall sound! It's GREAT! I enjoy the subdued, distant singing style. The piano arpeggios are really good, take those out and it's just not same.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haste_2
09/24/20 10:47:53 PM
#387:


The farther we get, the more fun it is! =D For me, at least.

80) Blue Reflection - TIGAR ~ All Phase Mix
https://youtu.be/G9-NsUPcFFU
Rating: 8.5/10 (Excellent)
Composer: Hayato Asano
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (Lost R5 to Rude Buster)
Favorite part: https://youtu.be/G9-NsUPcFFU?t=148

The big question here is this: is TIGAR the best Blue Reflection representative? What do YOU think? Well, like it or not, its the first one from the game to retire! Other entries very well could retire in future contests considering it did very, very well in BOST 2019. Im trying to remember.it got either third or fourth place, wait, or was it SECOND place? It feels like it faced Umineko in the finals, but dont quote me on that. All right, now to talk about the music! My affinity towards this one used to be pretty limited, largely because of those annoying edm sounds I associate with dubstep. For some unknown reason, my dislike for those sounds were neutralized beginning in R2 of the last contest. So now theres very little for me to dislike. The pretty piano chords and radio static at the start makes me happy :) But yeah, I like it as soon as it gets upbeat. I really enjoy the many different styles presented here, even if some of the melodies are a bit trite, for example, the piano melody from 1:02, but the stuff accompanying it I like more, such as the 16th-note synth lines. 1:46 uses the same chord progression as before, but we got this HYPERactive synth duet going on over the same harmonic progression. 2:07 is also cool love the note choices on those chords, the way it plays with chromatics! And they're all like uuuuuuaaaaaooooooo. Also immediately after are the BEST piano chords in the entire track! And hey, they get added upon right after! I used to hate 3:12, but Im neutral towards it now At 3:44 I have a hard time describing those weird percussive electronic chords, but theyre really cooL! Most of the latter part of the track isnt quite as exciting for me, relying on generic piano stuff from earlier. (even if it's the refrain melody! I know its important to the overall structure) I LOVE that little surprise key change near the end of the loop at 5:37, though! Overall, its a fun track that I like more than DNF at this point! The best in the soundtrack? Hard to say. Its close between several (Albireo Lake, Overdose, etc. are contenders).

79) Chrono Cross - Dreamwatch of Time
Series rank: 2 of 4
https://youtu.be/wMntblDX0Bg
Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda
Score: 8.5/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 1 (Lost R5 to Legend of Mana - Title)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/wMntblDX0Bg?t=66

This is truly one-of-a-kind. This has such a magical atmosphere. I never played much of CC (I stopped because I just couldnt stand certain things about the game), but this is obviously one of the major epic themes of the game. Combining one of the most classic Trigger themes with one of the most classic Cross (actually, Radical Dreamers) themes is simply too good to be true, except that it IS true! I enjoy the celtic-like melody on the harp, but more especially when the flute takes over nice and flashy. Then comes the Dreams theme (admittedly Im not crazy about this theme by itself), and then comes a sort of intermediary section with bright hemiolic patterns that just FILLS the air with musical joy at 0:40 I especially like 0:44 GREAT note choices on top of bII there) Then at 1:06 the music moves forward in such an EPIC manner as it gradually heightens with more great harmonies.(one of Mitsudas specialties is putting the melody a major 7th above the bass at key moments) I just love how it feels like one phrase whose ending just keeps getting delayed and delayed and delayed..it is ABSOLUTELY one of Mitsudas best compositional bits in anything hes ever done! And then finally it climaxes and suddenly its CHRONOS theme! Nice, but not quite as awesome as the previous stuff.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
NFUN
09/24/20 10:49:06 PM
#388:


tigar 100 songs too high

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You shine, and make others shine just by being near them.
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Haste_2
09/24/20 11:28:06 PM
#389:


....do you mean 116 songs too high? >_>

I had to move the next two tracks in line up the ranks a little ways.... it looks like this one is next, then.

78) Waterworld - Diving
https://youtu.be/BP2oz6fSczM
Composer: Dean Evans
Score: 8.5/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 3 (Lost R8 to Reset ~ Thank you)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/Y4hqy02sxDI?t=19

Hey, its music from a game based on a movie! Is this the only one? Anyway, Wooooooooow. It has a definitive 16-bit sound, but what a way to use those sounds! Im loving those echoey sounds at the start as if youre in an empty abyss. Mysterious. What lovely note choices (Lydian scale) It sounds like youve come to the most gorgeous reef underwater, which is probably what they were going for! And then that bass slides in at 0:19 (and light chords) WHOA, electricity is flowing through everything now. That's gotta be my favorite part of the whole thing, honestly. A scale gets added at 0:38, aw, yeah, thats one good-sounding scale (buildup). Then theres 0:58 - EARGASM. Love how the original melody gets a boost of tempo or, rather, it goes from a slow triplet feel to a sixteenth note feel, and now its totally chill, as if light has completely filled the darkness. More stuff continues to be added, all memorable, too. Bass is hoppy and vibrato-happy. The timbre change at 2:21 is great. Then when you think the ideas are done, you got this sweeping new theme at 3:13.

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
NFUN
09/25/20 1:02:53 AM
#390:


nah, i'm sure that there are even worse or complete nothing songs deserving of a lower placement than it

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You shine, and make others shine just by being near them.
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Mr Lasastryke
09/25/20 4:26:17 AM
#391:


man i was starting to warm up to nfun's taste in his topic where i rank his noms but then he had to bash tigar :-/

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Geothermal terpsichorean ejectamenta
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FFDragon
09/25/20 6:22:35 PM
#392:


wow

diving 77 places too low

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If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?
#theresafreakingghostafterus
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xp1337
09/25/20 10:05:46 PM
#393:


ya go my tigar

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xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out?
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Haste_2
09/26/20 9:34:38 PM
#394:


How do you pronounce Tigar, anyway? Like Tiger? Or do you have to say TI-GAHR?! =p

77) Deemo - Evolution Era
https://youtu.be/zNZ5pXtE1EA
Composer: V.K.
Score: 8.6/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 9 (Lost R8 to Seize the Truth)
Favorite Part: Anywhere with a key change + anywhere with reverse piano effects
Sounds like piano pop music from like the 80s? Anyway, I really do LOVE the super happy feeling In the intro, I especially like the leap up the octave at places like :04 and :09 that really convey that feeling. Love those effects starting at about :15! Theyre noticeable but they never get in the way. Beautiful contrasting lines by the cellos when they come in. More electronic instruments doing some nice counterpoint starting about 0:45. SO YUMMY. Key change at about 1:17! Again at 1:40 (they sound so HAPPY!) 2:06, too. Yeah, this piece wouldnt be what it is without the key changes! 1:42 has more of those electronic hairpins and such that I TOTALLY DIG. The section at 2:30 has some cool fast note repetitions! Also, I gotta love those soft synth counterpoint! At 3:25 you got those reverse piano effects EVERYWHERE!!!! The final chord (and the way it gets emphasized and played with) is like a slice of cheesecake...one of those I (tonic) chords that has a 4th added. Normally 3rd+4th together in a major chord doesnt work, but if the 4ths in the bass (which it is), thats different! One downside is that some of the syncopated rhythms (especially the ends of phrases) are kind of stereotypical and trite.

76) Terraria Calamity Mod - Servants of the Scourge (Theme of the Sentinels of the Devourer)
Series rank: 2 of 3
https://youtu.be/dt30jWRMjLk
Composer: DM Dokuro
Score: 8.6/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 13 (Lost R5 to New World Order)
Favorite Part: First 18 seconds

This one knocks your socks off right off the bat, eh? Chiptune-ish flourishes, dark chimes, full sustained orchestration, infectious beat/bass, all within the first few seconds! Crazy-interesting cluster chords on top, too. Its dark, but in a groovy sort of way. Really, when you got all this, who needs a melody? At 0:19 you get an actual melody...synth and strings combined such a wonderful sound. 0:40 provides a supporting melodic line that works really nicely. Low how the chimes take over the melody at 1:00 great contrast. Nice bII chords in that part. Then the synth joins it along with nice arpeggiated blips added. I like the skipped beat at 2:51 where it throws off your sense of timing for a second there. Thats one groovy section. It turns off and then back on (cool way to transition). It finally climaxes (cool blips, percussion intensity peaks), with that awesome last note sloooooowly dropping in pitch. Stylish! Then it repeats some stuff, but with even more stuff later, including a change in meter which ups the energy a bit towards the end!

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haste_2
09/26/20 10:21:08 PM
#395:


75) Wild ARMS - Into the Wilderness
https://youtu.be/jkcXV2jYqXI
Composer: Michiko Naruke, arr. by Kazuhiko Toyama
Score: 8.6/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 2 (Lost R6 to MGS2 Theme)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/jkcXV2jYqXI?t=64

Back in like 2008, this was my second favorite VGM of all time, second only to Shadow Hearts: Covenants 3 Karma. According to a rankings list I did, at least. (How times have changed) Aw, yes. I admit I never beat Wild ARMs (like zillions of other games), but this remains one of the major vg tracks of my childhood, and yes, I liked the game. Its not just the music thats special to me, but the FMV the music is set too, as well. Whenever Id turn on the game I would watch the entire FMV, I loved it so much. Great mixture of bluegrass, film, and symphony orchestra here. Guitar is slightly out of tune (rustic feeling). This has absolutely THE whistling melody of all vg whistling melodies (no, NOT Shadows theme)... but if you think theres a more iconic whistling theme somewhere else, let me know! I like the initial melodic idea, but I especially like how when it gets re-used the second time--it utilizes that Dorian note (natural-VI) to get to the dominant, the climax of the phrase! (see 0:22) This is one of those times when a dominant at the end of phrase (in minor) sounds GREAT! (I hope you agree here, Mycro!) Then a second idea is used to help the music calm down again (0:26 - 0:34) and ends with a piece of the first idea (0:34 - 0:38)! Also, I love how the orchestration gradually thickens until it begins to climax at 1:04, which is definitely my favorite part of the whole thing! EPIC! Its got some really yummy harmonies! NICE CRESCENDO as it leads into the concluding presentation of the main theme. I wish it were longer, though :[ Wonderful woodwind writing at 1:55 (Copland-esque)!

Oh, and I believe this is the ONLY case where I was the ORIGINAL nominator of a vg track that got retired! (I believe) Then again, it's very possible I nominated Spark Man Stage, too, as I was crazy about that theme at the time. P.S. I finally watched the FMV for the first time in years (see the link)!

74) Clannad - Nagisa ~ Farewell at the Foot of a Hill
https://youtu.be/7ptb-oQE9Hg
Composer: Jun Maeda (Key)
Score: 8.6/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 4 (Lost R2), VGMC 5 (Lost R5 to Positive Force)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/7ptb-oQE9Hg?t=75

This is one of those instances where Im glad vgm tastes used to be so different than they are now. This wouldnt stand a chance in VGMC today. Such simplicity. Such beauty. I like how empty it is to start out, with sweet ambient sounds added. As additional parts get added, the feelings of emotion increase. (6th added to chord) An extra piano line provides some means of harmony, but its a bit ambiguous note choices in the lower line are simple, but pretty. Love the bell-like sounds at 0:57...a nice melody foreshadowing whats to come. Up to this point its been quite diatonic, but the main piano line hits an unexpected note at 0:57 (bVII maj7?). I like the voice leading there, how it has open octaves, etc. Great effects 1:14 - 1:16 leading to the BIG MOMENT. Ah, what a sweet rhythmic structure (introduced in pieces back at 0:57...e.g. I love the part where the second part fills in for the melody) to put on top of the half notes! Horn synths at 1:56 work nicely in helping this theme wind down. Nice bass notes here too, the way it does the first and second inversions of the tonic before settling on the root. More bells at 3:12, yum! SO PRETTY. IM SO PRETTY! (oh, wait, this isnt West Side Story) Side note: interesting that Jun Maeda has two emotional tracks that are retired.


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
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LeonhartFour
09/26/20 10:42:58 PM
#396:


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Haste_2
09/28/20 10:41:28 PM
#397:


Does anyone besides me experience varying levels of satisfaction when listening to the same music? Some days music my favorite music sounds "great", while other days the same music literally can cause tears to well up in my eyes, it sounds (and feels) so amazing to me. Any advice to get the latter to happen more often besides just waiting for the right day? Would meditation or something help?

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
NFUN
09/28/20 10:58:07 PM
#398:


Haste_2 posted...
Does anyone besides me experience varying levels of satisfaction when listening to the same music? Some days music my favorite music sounds "great", while other days the same music literally can cause tears to well up in my eyes, it sounds (and feels) so amazing to me. Any advice to get the latter to happen more often besides just waiting for the right day? Would meditation or something help?
smoke weed

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You shine, and make others shine just by being near them.
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Haste_2
09/29/20 12:11:58 AM
#399:


I'm sure smoking weed is a valid answer!!!, but any other thoughts?

Man, is this one really next?

73) Beatmania IIDX 21 SPADA - SP DARK LEGACY Hyper
https://youtu.be/7zKVLq7Ub0s
Composer: BaSTeT
Score: 8.7/10 (Excellent)
VGMC History: VGMC 9 (Lost R7 to Evolution Era)
Favorite Part: https://youtu.be/7zKVLq7Ub0s?t=79

One can scarcely go wrong with a 1/2/3/4 minor melodic idea at the start (it's one of those patterns I love, as you will see in higher ranked music). It has a very similar feel to Despair in Elferia, thats for sure, and actually, it has a similar focus on those same four notes of the scale! Not the same composer, but this apparently influenced the other. It starts off militaristic orchestral before moving on to edm, but the style in the intro still gets many opportunities to really make this track shine. I like the sword sheathe sounds! I actually like the choice of sounds for the edm percussion; its much more to my liking than typical! Very dramatic. Theres a lot of subtleties that really makes this ear candy. I love the touch of french horns in certain parts, especially. 0:44 finally introduces the main idea on a light piano the harps and the strings really help it out. 1:19s stuff is SICK! I love rapid 16th passages like these. Fake piano cluster chords are great there (another similarity to Elferia), with a nice shift to a new key. And then suddenly everything drops out at 1:39 and then a light beat gets added a few seconds later and then a horn rip follows (I LOVE all that). Then we get back to the energized stuff again! 2:18 the edm stuff drops out and were back to a pure orchestral sound love the shift. Its softer, but the intensity is as fierce as ever, especially with those low horns. 2:37 is like the intro, but the cool thing here is that as it prepares to recap the theme, you get some of those cool rhythmic patterns from before, but before the theme comes in a few measures get added with an orchestral Fp complete with a sword sheathe. LOVE IT! At 4:19 as it climaxes the time signature is pretty thrown out the window ...fun rhythmic figures there. Then a grand pause and it winds down with some electronic flourishes reverberating (not really, but it has a similar effect). Overall, pretty much everything in this track is done very tastefully!


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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Mac Arrowny
09/29/20 12:27:22 AM
#400:


Since when is Dark Legacy not Nekomata Master...?

Ah, Bastet's just another of his aliases.

I'd probably have it ~70 spots higher.
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All the stars in the sky are waiting for you.
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